A Plea to District Heights and Suitland: Find Lovable Dog

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Homeward Trails Animal Rescue has an all out cry to dog lovers: "Help us find Sweetie."

The lovable beagle wandered away from her temporary foster home in southeast Washington on Jan. 15. The rescue community has mobilized. There have been lots of Sweetie sightings. So where is Sweetie?

Sweetie escaped death in a high kill shelter hundreds of miles away. She slept as she rumbled in the back of a vehicle, bringing her to Washington and a hopeful new life. No matter that she had suffered, she came out of the back of that van a happy-go-lucky, joyful, tail waggin' doggie.

Unlike many dogs and cats who find their way back home after a little midnight rambling, Sweetie didn't live there long enough to know exactly where she belonged.

Fliers went up. Phone calls went out. Sweetie has her own Facebook and Twitter pages.

When a group of kids found her on Marlboro Pike in District Heights, Md., they called the number on Sweetie's flier: 1-877-MUT-AWOL. But when doggie rescue arrived to bring her back, she had taken off-again.

Thanks to a positive sighting, rescuers know Sweetie crossed Southern Avenue. Other tips have been phoned in that she has crossed Pennsylvania Avenue multiple times. So search becomes more urgent with the risk Sweetie could get hit by a car.

A mystery donor has brought in Samantha Connelly and Salsa, her trusty search and rescue golden retriever. Last year, they went after 20 runaway dogs and found all 20. Salsa has sniffed Sweetie's bed and is on the case.

But all help is welcome. A search party will mobilize Sunday at 11 a.m. at the Burger King parking lot in the Penn Crossing Shopping center on Silver Hill Road in District Heights. Or you can make other contributions to the cause and read more about Sweetie at her web site.